Tourists inoculated with Pfizer or Moderna coronavirus vaccines will receive a “Green Pass” after an authorized laboratory confirms the presence of antibodies in their blood, a Health Ministry representative told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.
Israeli authorities are deliberating a solution for tourists who received vaccines that are not used in Israel, the representative said.
In the US, Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine has been authorized, although its distribution was temporarily halted. In Europe, several countries are mostly vaccinating with AstraZeneca’s vaccine. In addition, there is Russia’s Sputnik vaccine and China’s Sinovac vaccine.
Last week, Israel announced it will open the country to vaccinated tourists traveling in groups starting on May 23. If the infection rate continues to remain stable, it might begin to accept individual travelers as well, the government said.
According to the outline that was released with the announcement, visitors will be required to present their vaccination certificate and undergo a serological test when they arrive in Israel. However, it remained unclear how they would be able to access hotels, indoor restaurants and other venues that require a so-called green passport, a document that features a QR code and an ID number.
One possibility being considered for those who arrive in Israel is to generate a QR code connected to their passport number, similar to what is done for foreign diplomats living in Israel and vaccinated here, a government official told the Post Sunday.
The Health Ministry did not reveal a timeline for granting visitors the Green Pass. However, it hopes to roll out the logistical details of the plan to allow vaccinated tourists in the country by the end of the month, a government official said on Sunday.
Israel might also accept vaccination certificates from other countries by May 23, the official said, adding that the government is in advanced conversations with several nations in Europe and North America.